Abbevillian

Refers to the period of European prehistoric stone tool development dating to just after 700,000 Before Present, and known from tools found in sediments in a suburb of Abbeville, France. The culture is characterized by distinctive stone tools, including the earliest hand axes that are bifacially flaked, with deep flake scars and jagged edges, and thick flakes. The period is usually considered closely related to the Acheulian tradition. The concept of the earliest hand-axe culture in Europe was formerly known as Chellean, but the concept is now known as Abbevillian, and the implements from Chelles, France that formerly defined the culture are now grouped with Acheulian.